Blessing
by PadawanMage
Summary: Set after 'Father's Day', Rose makes one last request to make peace with what happened and reflects on what her father said just prior to leaving the church. Some filler material included. Read and Review!


**Title:** "Blessing"

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, though I do wish Dr Who was shown here in the states!

**Summary: **Set after 'Father's Day', Rose makes one last request to make peace with what happened and reflects on what her father said just prior to leaving the church. Some filler material included.

**Author's Notes:** This last episode is arguably the best so far, but I wanted to write a little on Rose's relationship with her father. I think it would've also been nice to have a parent who trusted her and could see something between Rose and the Doctor.

* * *

Rose still gripped the Doctor's hand as they walked into the TARDIS, the image of her father dying in her arms still fresh in her mind – and would most certainly haunt her dreams for the rest of her years.

The Doctor gently disengaged himself from Rose as he started punching a few buttons on the control console. He reached over and was about to pull the main lever sending the TARDIS back into the streams of time, when a hand gently enfolded his and stopped the movement. Mildly surprised, he looked over.

"I know I should be the last person who should be asking for anything – especially with what I did," Rose quietly stated. "But…I have to ask for one thing – just one." The Doctor tiredly closed his eyes and shook his head, but didn't pull the lever.

"Rose…"

"I promise, we won't see our other selves and I won't be able to scar time, or anything like that." Rose bit her lip. "Please. If I do just one thing, let me do this and you can leave me back in my time and just take off after that."

"What is it?" the Doctor asked warily.

And Rose told him.

oOoOoOoOoOo

A slight, cold breeze picked up, whipping dead leaves about Rose's legs. She looked up at the overcast skies and knew it was close to rain. Her father's death wasn't on a 'grim and stormy' day, but this…well, it could only be called appropriate.

The last of the mourners had already left minutes before, but Rose still waited behind some large tombstones for a little while longer. During the actual ceremony an hour before, it tore Rose's heart to see her mother crying while holding to her younger self. It had been a brutal lesson she'd learned, but Rose knew well enough to stay hidden and wait it out.

Only when the very last person had left did Rose finally look around and walk out and towards the grave. The smell of freshly broken up dirt still hung in the air. Even with the threat of rain, Rose got down on her knees and regarded the gravestone.

_Peter Allen Tyler_

_15.Sept.1954 to 7.Nov.1987_

_Beloved Husband and Father_

A hand stretched forth a placed a single, perfect rose on the mound. One of the many things the TARDIS had was a greenhouse, and it'd been the Doctor's idea for Rose to stop by before going out. When she'd been younger, Rose would – from time to time – stop by and see her father's resting place. She would stay there for long minutes, trying to feel something for a man she'd never met. All she'd had were pictures and stories her mother would tell her, but even with all that, Rose had always walked away feeling…empty.

Now, having met her father and spending precious time with him, Rose had enough emotion to last her a lifetime.

She looked back over and caught the Doctor leaning on the TARDIS several yards away. A small smile tugged on Rose's lips as she wondered how the Doctor would react with what her father had said to her before leaving the church?

oOoOoOoOoOo

"Thanks for saving me," her father said before he hugged her. He reluctantly pulled away and looked her in the eye, a soulful expression on his face. "Rose…I know I won't be there for you, as a father, as a friend, whatever. But, I'd just like to know something: this Doctor…does he make you happy?"

Rose frowned at the question, thinking briefly was it any of his business to ask. But this was her father, and as he took it as his responsibility for what happened, he also acted like most father's act when it came to their daughters: they looked out for their child's happiness.

And Rose knew that she couldn't lie, not to herself and certainly not to him.

Wiping away tears, Rose nodded once

Peter Tyler smiled. "Then you know the answer to your question, love, the one you asked when you had that row with him." Rose, slightly confused, shook her head. Her father said, "Just remember this, Rose: I think he's a good man…even if he's a bit old." Rose couldn't help laughing a bit.

"What?" Jackie Tyler exclaimed. "No daughter of mine and a man like, like that – "

"Jackie…" Rose's father said in tired exasperation. "I've only gotten to know our grown daughter for a little while, but from what I can tell – " he smiled at Rose. " – she can take care of herself."

Rose could only blink away more tears at her father's affirmation. Before she could say anything, though, Peter Tyler grabbed the vase and with a last, sad glance at his daughter, stepped out from the church.

oOoOoOoOoOo

Rose sighed as she looked up and felt the first soft droplets fall on her face. Neither daughter nor father had known each other originally, but through her own mistake, they had gotten to know each other for a brief time. It saddened Rose that her father had considered himself a failure at everything.

Though the whole world would never know, nor ever believe that it owed its existence to Peter Tyler, Rose would always know in her heart that her father was a hero.

The rain started to really pour down, but before the dirt got muddy, Rose placed a hand on the mound.

"Thank you."

The Doctor looked up to see a semi-wet Rose walk up to him. Neither said nothing as they stood looking at each other, the rain pattering around them.

"You'll catch a cold," the Time Lord said quietly.

Rose looked away. "Are you going to send me back to my time?"

The Doctor sighed as he looked at his companion. He then turned and unlocked the TARDIS door, pausing briefly after opening it.

"I envy you, Rose Tyler," he said over his shoulder. "You got to say goodbye to family." The Doctor turned. "You didn't do it for money or fame or glory, like some other people I know. You did it because he was your dad." A wan smile graced the Doctor's face. "C'mon. I've got some hot chocolate going." He stepped a little aside and nodded towards the entrance. Rose, smiling hopefully, squeezed his hand before entering. The Doctor followed, the door shutting behind him.

The TARDIS stood there for several moments before the top light started to flash, and slowly, as if melting into the rain, it disappeared completely, leaving the past behind.

**-FIN- **


End file.
